EXCLUSIVE: Fear of being committed may have caused Connecticut gunman to snap  —  NEWTOWN, CONN. - The gunman who slaughtered 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school may have snapped because his mother was planning to commit him to a psychiatric facility …

Inquiry Into Libya Attack Is Sharply Critical of State Dept.  —  WASHINGTON — An independent inquiry into the attack on the United States diplomatic mission in Libya that killed four Americans on Sept. 11 sharply criticizes the State Department for a lack of seasoned security personnel …

Boehner calls for GOP ‘discussion’ on guns  —  Republicans need to “have a discussion on guns” in the wake of last week's grade-school massacre in Newtown, Conn., Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told his conference Tuesday.  —  Speaking to his troops at a closed-door meeting in the Capitol …

Michigan's Republican Governor Vetoes Concealed Gun Bill, Cites Sandy Hook Shooting  —  Sandy Hook was a factor, said Snyder in a statement.  “This type of violence often leaves society with more questions than answers.”  —  Republican Michigan Governor Rick Synder vetoed a concealed gun bill Tuesday afternoon.

NRA Promises “Meaningful” Contributions  —  The gun group breaks its silence.  “We were shocked, saddened, and heartbroken.”  —  National Rifle Association spokesman Andrew Arulanandam emails the first statement from the organization since Friday's massacre in Newtown.

Conservatives Think Hillary Clinton Is Faking Her Concussion  —  Do you hear that faint sound?  It's the grumbling of conservative pundits who are now churning out a theory that Hillary Clinton is lying about her concussion to avoid having to testify about Benghazi.  Clinton had a concussion recently, her team said Saturday.

Flouting veto threat, conferees finish defense bill  —  House and Senate negotiators on Tuesday agreed to a final version of the defense authorization bill, keeping in place several provisions President Barack Obama had objected to when he threatened to veto earlier versions of the legislation.

Obama Social Security Offer at Odds With Top Dems  —  President Barack Obama's offer to slow the growth of Social Security benefits would force fellow Democrats in Congress to abandon promises to shield the massive retirement and disability program from cuts as part of negotiations to avoid the year-end fiscal cliff.

The Times Embarrasses Itself on Guns-Again!  —  It's too bad the members of the New York Times editorial board don't sign their editorials.  If they did, we could ridicule them by name.  The Times, as an institution, has chosen to place ideology above accuracy.

Party Identity in a Gun Cabinet  —  An American child grows up in a married household in the suburbs.  What are the chances that his family keeps a gun in their home?  —  The probability is considerably higher than residents of New York and other big cities might expect …

Family Research Council Sued For Sexual Harassment, Discrimination … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Video, Family Research Council, William Saunders, Family Research Council Gender Discrimination, Family Research Council Lawsuit, Family Research Council Sexual Harassment, Moira Gaul, Politics News

No, Instagram can't sell your photos: what the new terms of service really mean  —  Turns out no one really trusts Facebook after all  —  You agree that a business may pay Instagram to display your photos in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions without any compensation to you.

Nate Silver: Person of the Year  —  His forecasts for the 2012 election became the talk of the chattering classes.  Now that he's vanquished his critics, what's next for the brainiac?  —  Photography by Mike McGregor  —  Nate Silver wants to know if I've seen Jiro Dreams of Sushi …

CBS News: ‘Fast and Furious’ Gun Found At Site Where Mexican Beauty Queen Killed  —  WASHINGTON (CBSDC) - A gun found at the scene of a shootout between a Mexican drug cartel and soldiers where a beauty queen died was part of the botched “Fast and Furious” operation, CBS News reports.